True to its name and form, this book is short but meaty.
Some reviews say the writer seemed arrogant (pompous) and self-absorbed. I disagree.
This is not Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.
It’s also not a memoir on writing.
What stood out: the last few pages of examples written by his students, and his annotations on how they could be written better.
Several short sentences breaks notions and rules of writing.
Yes, schools focused on grammar, usage, and to some extent, and form.
But Klinkenborg was unapologetic when he suggested forgetting what you learned in school.
He even found journalism–my training ground–at fault for some of the writing habits we form.
Journalism is writing in a hurry, my professor said. But it shouldn’t be sloppy.
A review on Goodreads praised the book but called it a “theoretical slam theory.”
The book’s form is unorthodox. It reads like a poem, a verse. However, Klinkenborg is using form to prove a point. That the book should also be read aloud.
I tried, it worked.
Short sentences is a bundle of writing insights. Klinkenborg, for example, made these observation on what we know about writing:
“1. What you’ve been taught.
2. What you assume is true because you’ve heard it repeated by others.
3. What you feel, no matter how subtle.
4. What you don’t know.
5. What you learn from your own experience.”
The first two observations are on point. The third is developed through practice–and making mistakes. What you don’t know is what you learn from good editors, mentors, or books you read. The last item is a combination of all points.
Klinkenborg’s Short sentences is no replacement for real writing. His is however a good reminder–a nudge to keep you straight.
“Learning to write begins anywhere, at any time in life.”
For me, that’s every day.